1 16 hi My Bird Saiictiairy. 



My bird sanctuary at Fallodon is not a lari^e one. There 

 is no park. There is no lake. There are two ponds, the larger 

 of them less than an acre, a flower L;arden of fair size, and 1 

 have enclosed round the ponds two or three acres of rough 

 ground planted with trees and shrubs. That is the place in 

 which the waterfowl have been kept. 



Three things are necessary if you wish to keep a collection 

 T waterfowl. 



1. A fence as nearly fox-proof as you can make it. 



2. Quietude — in the early spring when they are in pairs, water- 



fowl spend some weeks looking about for nesting places 

 cautiously and quietly by themselves, and, if they find 

 out that they are watched, or should you come suddenly 

 upon them, and they are disturbed, they will not select 

 that nesting place, and will not nest at all. So even 

 in the case of oneself or the g'ardener (attendant), care 

 must be taken not to walk at random in the nesting" 

 season on ground where birds are likely to nest, for 

 fear of destroying the chance of their nesting altogether. 



3. A daily attendant who takes an interest in the birds. My 



gardener, Mr. Henderson, does this; and to his interest 

 in and great care of the birds is due the credit of 

 such success as has been attained in rearing the different 

 species. 

 It is given up to waterfowl, and the follovving have 

 successfully bred : 



Surface-feeding Ducks. — Mallard, Widgeon. Pintail. Shoveller, 



Garganey, and Teal. 

 Diving Ducks. — Tufted, Red-headed or common Pochard. Red- 

 crested and White-eyed Pochards. 



Breeding of the Carolina or N. American Wood-Duck : 

 I would tell of one incident in the breeding" of the Carolina or 

 North American Wood-duck which I thought of considerable 

 interest. I had a good many of these birds at one time, unpin- 

 ioned and therefore at perfect liberty to choose a nesting-place. 

 Their natural nesting" place is a hole in a tree. One of my 

 ducks selected a hole in an old elm tree some three-hundred yards 

 from the water. There she nested every year and brought out 

 her young. The hole in the tree was a considerable distance 



